A protocol was signed on Monday between the Prime Ministry and the Economic Organisations Platform to ease traffic congestion and queues at crossing points along the border.

The work to ease conditions at the various crossing points had begun following instructions by the Prime Minister Ünal Üstel.

The protocol that aims to reduce the long queues and waiting periods at the crossing points was signed on Monday by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, the head of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Turgay Deniz, the Co-chairman of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Industry Mustafa Ersözlü, the head of the Cyprus Turkish Contractors’ Association Cafer Gürcafer and the head of the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association Dimağ Çağıner.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Üstel thanked the Economic Organisations Platform for its swift work.

He said that a good example of state-private sector partnership had emerged from the work carried out by the platform and the committee set up in parliament.

Üstel expressed the view that the protocol will contribute to the TRNC’s economy by easing crossings.

The head of the Cyprus Turkish Hoteliers Association Dimağ Çağıner for his part praised the government’s will and resolve to address the problems at the crossing points.

“We have started work to upgrade the technological infrastructure at the crossing points as well as to give a facelift to the checkpoints.